Improvement in machines for making sheet-metal tubes



4Sheet's--Sheet1I Patented July 9,1872.`

AD. A.- RITCHIE.

- 4Sheets-Sheet2.

D. A. RITCH'IE.

Machines for MakingSheet-Metal Tubes.v I No. 128,911. Y. Patentedlulymmm.

I 4Sheets--Sheet3`. '.D. A. RlTCHlE.

Y "Nlchnes forvMaking Sheet-Metal Tubes.

No@v 128,911. I Patented July 9,1872.

Patented .lul 9, 1872.

le?? /A nessun NITED STATES iFFlCE.

DAviD A. nrronln,'0F'oHAnLEsTowN,MASSACHUSETTS. y

Specification forming part o f Letters Patent No. 128,911, dated July 9, 1872.

.l'o all 7whom it may concern: v

Be it known that I, DAVID A.Rrrc111E, of Charlestown, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a Machine for Making Sheet-Metal Tubes, of which the following isa-full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing making part of this specification, in whichb Figure 1 is a perspective view of my machine for making sheet-metal tubes. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal vertical ,section through the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section on the line a: a: of Fig. 2. I Fig.4is a perspective view of the stationary mandrel and .parts connected therewith. Fig. 5 is a section on the line y y of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 i s a section on the line z zof Fig. 2. Fig. 7, detailto be referred to. Figs.

8,19,1o,1112 and v13 represent the strip of.

sheet meta in its successive stages while being formed into a tube or pipe.

My invention consists in amaehine for making pipe or tubing by winding a strip of sheet metal spirally around a mandrel, suitable devices being employed for turning and uniting theedges of the strip so as to form a grooved or flanged seamor joint-a pipe so made forming the subject of Letters Patent of the United States granted to me on the 27th day of February, 1872.

To enable others skilled in the art to understand and use my invention, I will proceed to describe tle manner in which I have carriedl -it ont.

In the said drawing, A representsv the bed of the machine, from which rises the frame' work B, to the sides of the front of which is secured alongtable, C, prvided'with longitudinal pieces a, which are made adjustable to and from each other by screws b, and serve as guides, between which a strip, c, of sheet metal (of the required width to form the pipe) is fed to the rolls D E, the edges of the strip being confined in grooves 15, formed between the table and inner portions of the guides a. The shafts of these rolls revolve in boxes 16 slid! ing vertically in the frame-work, and are connected together, so as to revolve at the same speed, by gear 17 18. One end of the upper roll D is provided with an annular V-shapcd groove, d and the corresponding end of the lo wer tolli?. is provided with a similar V-shaped projection, e, whilethe opposite end of the up per roll D is turned down to form a continuous square shoulder, f, and the corresponding end otl the lower roll E is -provided with a square flange, g, by which construction one edge of thel strip c of sheet metalis turned up and provided `with an inverted V'shaped groove or' channel, h, and the other ledge of the strip turned up to form a flange or tongue, i.. (See ,'Fig. 8.) in this shape the strip c is fed from the rolls D E over an auxiliary table, G, and between it and a covering-plate, k, secured thereto, the under side of the strip resting 0n` the auxiliary table, and the turned edges h 'i of the' strip passing through grooves 19 20, of corresponding4 form, in the under side of the plate k. After passing through the groove 19 a distance equal to nearly half the length of the' table, the inverted V-shaped edge h passes 'y between a pair of rolls, lm, projecting into a recess in the coveringplate k, each roll being of the form of av frustum of a cone, and one bein-g inverted, the two rolls being separated a short distance from each other, and the space between them being directly in line with the groove 19 in the covering-plate k, by which means the V-sbaped edge is inclined outward, as seen in Fig. 9. The vertical shafts of the rolls lm revolve in an arm, 21, secured to the frame-work. As the strip c is fed forward by the rolls D 'E beyond the edge of the covering-plate kit passes between a stationary horizontal mandrel, H, (whose axis is inclined to that of the shafts of the rolls D E,) and a spiral sleeve, I, thereon, which is secured to the plate I: at 22, and servesl as a guide, which, in connecton with a spiral projectionm, on the man drel H, insures the strip being wound spirally around it, a space, 23, being left between the guide I and projection n for the passage of the turned edge i of the strip c. After making one turn spirally around themandrel, the iiange i is brought up underneath and directly in line with the inverted V-shaped groove h at a point immediately in front of the point of contact of a grooved wheel, K, with a friction-roll, o, .revolvingin a recess in the mandrel, the wheel K being secured to the driving-shaft L, which revolves in bearings sliding in the frame-work, and is driven by a belt (not shown) passing over a drum, M, secured thereto. The motion otthcdriving-shaft L is communicated to the shaft of the upper roll D by means of gearsN O P, as seen in Fig. 1. As the strip continnes to be fed forward the raised joint, Fig. 10, formed bythe union of the flange i and the grooved edge h, passes between the wheel K and the roll o, and is partially flattened or bent over, as seen in Fig. 11. After taking another spiral turn around the mandrel, the joint is still further lattened and at the same time milled (see Fig. 13) by passing between a grooved milling-Wheel, Q, on 'the shaft L, and a friction-roll, p, similar to the roll o set in a recess in the mandrel H.

Should thepipeberequired to be made of soft metal,the strip c will spread and slightly increase in width when subjected to the pressure of the rolls D E, and it is, therefore, necessary to cut the strip of a width slightly less than the distance between the grooves 19 20, and also less than the width of the guide l on the .mandrel H; otherwise the st-rpwith its turned edges would not be fed properly through the machine. Where a pipe is to be formed in a machine from a narrow strip of sheet metal the mandrel should not be so much inclined to the axis of the rolls D E as in a machine Where a pipe is to`be formed from a wider strip.

Claims.

What l' claim as my invention, and desire to secure vby Letters Patent, is

1. The table C and feed-rolls D E, in combination with the auxiliary table G provided with a grooved covering-plate, k, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. I also claim the stationary mandrel H, in combination with the spiral sleeve or guideI and the feed-rolls D E, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

'3. VI also claim the rolls lm for inclining the grooved edge h of the strip c, in combination with the auxiliary table G, covering-plate k, and feed-rolls D E, substantially as set forth.

4. I also claim the grooved wheel K and grooved milling-wheel, Q, in combination with the friction rolls o p set in recesses in the Inandrel H, operating substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.

Vitness my hand this 10th day of May, A. D. '187 2. y

DAVID A. IHTCHIE.

In presence of- P. E. TESCHEMACHER, W. J.. CAMBRIDGE. 

